Sunday, May 11, 2014

Procol Harum, who came to fame with their 1967 single "A White Shader of Pale," have been blamed for the horrific kidnapping after people confused them with radical militant group Boko Haram.

Many across the internet have asked why the British progressive rock band would do such a thing and wondered how they had become "terrorists".

One Twitter user said: "It's shocking that Procol Harum's records are still being played on the radio after what they did in Nigeria."

Another wrote: "Wow! What happened to Procol Harum? Whiter Shade of Pale was a great song, but it doesn't excuse terrorism."

Yet despite the controversy, it seems most of the comments are tongue-in-cheek.

But it was reported that an expert with "knowledge of Nigeria" did also make the blunder too, calling Boko Haram "Procol Harum" throughout a radio interview.

This isn't the first time that the band have been confused with the terrorist organization.

Last July, vocalist and keyboard player Gary Brooker was forced to clear up the mess between the two groups when a U.S. senator confused them live on Fox News.

Brooker said: "We have had nothing to do with the church burning and bombing of district police headquarters in Northern Nigerian states, or any Nigerian states for that matter.

"You have us mixed up with the Nigerian terrorist organisation, Boko Haram.

"We are Procal Harum, completely different, just the name sounds a bit the same."

The confusion led to the head of the Nigerian secret service calling for the band's extradition.

He reportedly said on air: "As part of my investigation I have been listening to the back catalogue of Procal Harum and have to admit I am positively confused. Can somebody please tell me what on earth a ‘fandango’ is?

"We would be interested to start extradition proceedings ASAP."

Brooker responded to the accusations, saying: "I don’t think Boko Haram have released any progressive rock albums, at least not to my knowledge, so that should prove our innocence."

As the name confusion continues, U.S. military forces have made their way into Nigeria to search for the missing schoolgirls.

The Pentagon insists officers are "sharply focused" to find the girls who have been held at ransom since April 14.

Officials from the US, UK, France, Canada and now China continue their search continues for the hostages.

Military helicopters currently hover over the area where they were taken, as the terrorist group continues to threaten to sell the girls as sex slaves.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan spoke at the World Economic Forum in Abuja yesterday, saying: “As a nation we are facing attack from terrorism.

"I believe that the kidnap of these girls will be the beginning of the end of terrorism in Nigeria.”